Liar Liar
by papercutcasualty
Summary: In fear of the aftermath of the Genocide Route, Frisk decides to tell the world the truth... or rather, a twisted version of it. Now, they must deal with the consequences of putting their best friend's head on the chopping block, including Toriel's sudden depression and fan's depictions of Chara's "evil". But it doesn't matter. Frisk's secrets are safe, and Chara's moved on. Right?
1. Chapter 1

_6/11/201X_

 _It's been one week. One week since Asriel broke the barrier. One week since all monsters went free._

 _One week since The Player lost their power over me._

 _Even though the Underground is where I've met the kindest, most compassionate people in my life, I can't help but despise it. When I'm down there, DETERMINATION rules me. The Player rules us both. It's up to them whether we show mercy… or grab the nearest weapon and start slashing._

 _It's already happened once. The Player decided to reset after killing Sans. I don't know why. Maybe they felt guilty. Or maybe they could sense Chara's… nothingness, and were afraid of the demon they had created. I know I was._

 _..._

 _Chara's gone. They always vanish after we complete the game until the next RESET. Who knows where they go? Just another question to add to the list._

 _Perhaps they move on. Once we complete the game, I mean. That's nice to think about. They enjoy the void. I can understand why. There's nothing there. No happiness, but no sorrow or guilt, either. What's less nice is that they get ripped from it to join me in the Underground every RESET._

…

 _Sans has been avoiding me. He remembers, I know he does. He doesn't show it in front of the others, but I swear his eyes went dark once when looking at me. I think he's been watching me at night sometimes as well. Keeping an eye on me._

 _I also saw a book tucked inside his joke/quantum physics book. It was a book on how to exorcise demons._

 _Who does he see? Me or Chara?_

… _I should tell him the truth. That it wasn't Chara's fault, despite what it looked like. If anything, it was mine for falling down that stupid hole in the first place. But… would he believe me?_

… _No. He wouldn't._

 _He would blame me._

…

 _That's what it looks like. To anyone else, it's just Chara and me. If it isn't their fault, it's mine. Simple._

 _He would kill me for it. Maybe. He might still trust Frisk. But I don't know for sure._

 _Alphys might believe me. She's been researching The Player for a long time. Flowey might, too. But Sans is the most powerful. If he really wanted me dead, he could hold them all off long enough to end my life._

…

 _What happens if you die on the surface? Do you just… disappear? Like you would before all this? Or will I become a ghost? Like Chara?_

…

 _I don't want that. It's so silly that I'm scared of death at this point, but I am. I am. At least I know what The Player can do, and what they can't._

 _At least I think I do._

…

 _I'm scared. What if he tries to perform an exorcism on me? What will happen to me? To Chara?_

 _What if they aren't there anymore?_

…

 _Will he kill me?_

…

…

…

 _I can't let that happen. Someone has to take the blame. That someone should be The Player, but… no one knows they exist. All the others saw was our red eyes and pink cheeks. All the others saw was our hands coated in dust._

 _All the others saw was Chara._

 _People can only believe what they see, right?_

 _And… that is the untold story I've been hiding for so long. The reason I'm so afraid is because I'm worried that… psycho, Chara, will come back. Finish what they started. Kill everyone I've ever loved. Undo all my MERCY._

 _That is the truth._

They leaned away from the computer, their back cracking from sitting in once place so long. Done. Days of recalling repressed memories, skipping meals and schoolwork, sitting at the computer, watching the lies fire from their fingers like bullets, straight into their best friend's heart.

 _But.. Chara's gone in this timeline. They can't see this. Even if there is another reset, they won't know. I'll never tell them what I wrote._

 _ ***Is it really a snow poff?**_

 _They'll never know._

 _ ***Love yourself! I love you!**_

 _It'll keep me alive. That's what they would have wanted._

 _ ***Still just you, Frisk.**_

 _It'll be alright._

 _ ***You are filled with DETERMINATION.**_

…

Before they could hesitate any longer, they slammed their finger on the Enter key. _Blog updated!_ The computer chimed cheerfully, unaware of their internal suffering.

It was done. No going back now. Someone had already seen it. The Ambassador of Monsters had many followers.

Guilt twisted their stomach. This wasn't right. They crawled out of the chair and into their bed. Hiding under the thick covers, they curled into a ball, sniffling. What was wrong with them? They felt so disgusted with themselves, but deep down, they were… not happy, but relieved. That they were safe from their friends' wrath. They were safe.

 _ ***You feel your sins crawling on your back...**_

 **SURPRISE! ... It's a snow poff.**

 **My first Undertale story! I'm proud of it, even though this chapter's not that long.**

 **This idea came around when I was looking for good Undertale animations. I try really hard to respect other's opinions on video games, but it gets hard sometimes (I rarely say anything, I'm just salty in my head). So there was this one flipnote that was like all the others, Chara smiling evilly with the FIGHT button and Frisk crying with the MERCY button and I was like, "Yeah, OKAY, Frisk... whatever." For some reason, that sparked this idea. So... thanks to the creator of that flipnote! I've been suffering writer's block for months. It's nice to be proactive again :)**

 **So yeah! I'll try and update every Saturday other than this upcoming one. Stay tuned, and if you like it, please show your support by following, favoriting, or leaving a review! I really appreciate it.**

 **EDIT: Just fixed a grammar mistake :)**


	2. Chapter 2

When Frisk was woken up by their alarm, they swung their arm around lazily until it hit the snooze button and lay in bed for a few minutes, staring out the window. It was still dark, but the streetlamp outside sent beams of light through the glass, illuminating the room. The light and shadows created such interesting patterns on their furniture, images of light and darkness and hopes and dreams. They never noticed before now how pretty an early morning could be.

Perhaps that was because they wanted so desperately to distract themselves.

The alarm went off again, playing a hauntingly cheerful tune that echoed off the walls. They sighed. From here on out, they would have to become an actor. Play the part of the sweet, innocent child who always showed mercy, no matter what. Act like all the horrible things they said were 100% true. Pretend to be an angel in a mortal guise. They took a deep breath. _**You can do this. You CAN do this. You are determined.**_

They slowly got out of bed and dressed in a pair of gray pants, a blue undershirt, and a fuzzy dark gray sweater with stripes the color of the Echo Flowers that grew in Waterfall. They swung their bookbag over their shoulder and were about to leave the room when they froze in place. No… they couldn't do this. The guilt would overcome them at some point. They would slip up, and then they were as good as dead. A shiver went down their spine at the mental image of Sans' eyes going dark, that eerie smile as wide as ever.

And that was why they had to lie. They had already made their choice. There was no escaping what they'd done. They had to lie, not just for their sake, but for everyone else's. If they learned the truth now, it would destroy them, just like it had already began to do to themselves.

There was no going back.

Filled with determination, Frisk opened the door. Such a small action, and yet it felt like they had climbed a mental mountain. Except they didn't feel victorious when they reached the top.

They brushed their hair and teeth and went to the kitchen to get breakfast quietly. They didn't want to wake up Toriel. She always slept in on Fridays. Halfway there, they realized they should have brushed after they ate. Oh well, they'd just have extra clean teeth today.

The hallway to the kitchen was dark, though the light in the kitchen was on. Odd. They flicked on the light and turned round the corner to receive a nasty surprise, their heart clenching in their chest. Toriel was sitting at the table, fiddling with her fingers. She looked up when they came in. Her face, normally adorned with an adoring smile, was draped in sorrow. The rims of her eyes were red. She had been crying. _**Of course she'd want to talk to me. What was I expecting? Everything to be normal after what I posted?**_ They thought. Their stomach twisted as they realized that was exactly what they had been expecting.

"Sit down, my child." she whispered. They slid into the wooden chair opposite her. The two of them sat in silence for a minute or so, awkwardly staring at the table. Finally, she coughed."Are you hungry, my child?" she said softly.

 _Not really._ They signed. She nodded and folded her hands. "So…" she said. She didn't seem to know how to go about this.

 _I'm sorry._ They signed. They didn't know what else to say, and a part of them wanted to finish this quickly.

"No… if anything, I'm sorry. This is my fault…" she mumbled.

 _What?! Of course it's not!_ They signed. They hadn't expected this. Toriel had nothing to do with this, neither in the story or in reality. Why would she...

"My child, you don't understand. I don't know what happened to… Chara on the surface, but it was enough cruelty to make them just as cruel as their abusers. As their new caretaker, I had the power to change them for the better, to show them that there was still good to find in this life. And… I failed." she said. Her voice was starting to wobble. "This… this is all my fault. If I had been a better parent, then you would have never…" she whispered. Her sentence fell apart as she started to cry, thick tears leaving tracks in her fur. _**Oh. Oh no...**_ Frisk instantly got up and went over to her. Crawling up in her lap, they buried their face in her white fur as she sobbed. It was then that they realized they were crying too.

But for all the wrong reasons.

 ***SCENE CUT***

They were currently lying on the couch, watching TV. Well, sort of. They were looking at the screen, but the actual content of the show was lost on them. Halfheartedly, they wondered what the lessons were in school today. They wouldn't know; Toriel had practically forced them to lie down on the couch and skip class. Her way of dealing with grief was, apparently, taking care of others.

She was currently talking to someone, though they couldn't tell who. The voices were too muffled. It probably wasn't a reporter, though, because the two of them had been talking for about six minutes, and she would have kicked a reporter out by now. They snuggled into the blanket, covering their head. It was like a cocoon, a warm shelter completely separating them from the world.

Suddenly, a hand shook them. They bolted up out of the covers to lay eyes on a short skeleton with a fuzzy blue hoodie and a wide smile. "sorry, didn't mean to scare ya, kiddo." he said.

 _Hi, Sans._ they signed in an irritated manner. He chuckled at that. Pulling out a bottle of ketchup, he made himself comfortable on the sofa, bones rattling with the movement. He took a swig of ketchup and extended the bottle towards them, non-verbally asking if they wanted some. They shook their head. They weren't a big fan of ketchup.

"suit yourself, kid. but you're missing out." he said, taking a long sip. He then set it down on the end table and turned to face them. "i think we both know i'm not just here to drink ketchup." he said.

They nodded, fingers clenching around the blanket. All of a sudden, they couldn't meet his eyes. They stared down at the floor, body hunched. Sans just stared. They couldn't tell what kind of expression was on his face, and they didn't really want to know.

The two of them sat like that for a few minutes before he coughed. They didn't look up until he scooted over and wrapped his arm around them. His eyes hadn't gone dark. On the contrary, they were full of sympathy. "i'm sorry, kiddo. you deserve better." he said.

The world started to blur as tears welled up in their eyes. They hugged Sans around the waist, him hugging them back. It was horrible, but they were so relieved. _**He isn't mad. He isn't mad. He isn't mad.**_ They faintly registered him patting them on the back softly. They smiled.

 _ **He isn't mad.**_

Out of the blue, a loud voice broke through the air, startling the child. "HELLO, HUMAN! IT IS I, THE GREAT… UM… IS SOMETHING WRONG, BROTHER?" Papyrus said. He was holding a large pot of spaghetti in his hand bones. Toriel was in the doorway, looking worried. "IS THE HUMAN ALRIGHT?"

"yeah, they're okay. they just needed a minute." He let go of them and leaned back on the couch once again. They sniffed and looked back at Papyrus. His skeletal face looked rather crestfallen, but he soon smiled again.

"WELL! I THINK THAT WE SHOULD CELEBRATE WITH SOME SPAGHETTI!" he said cheerfully, placing the pot on the coffee table with a _clang_.

"Er… celebrate… what, exactly?" Toriel said softly.

"THAT EVERYONE IS ALIVE AND HAPPY, OF COURSE! I MEAN… THAT'S GOOD… RIGHT?" he said. His smile started to fade as he realized how tense the air was. The room was silent for a few minutes, everybody openly gaping at Papyrus. He began to shuffle nervously and whimper under the pressure. Just as it looked like he was about to run out of the house, Toriel coughed.

"No… you are right, Papyrus."

"R-REALLY?"

"Yes… it is important to look on the bright side of things. And there are many things to be thankful for in this timeline. And I truly believe that is worth celebrating." she said, smiling warmly. Papyrus' grin came back in full force within seconds.

"O-OKAY! THEN… TIME TO EAT SPAGHETTI!" he exclaimed. Toriel shook her head in a lovingly exasperated manner as she sat down in the armchair. The lanky skeleton served bowls of pasta to the others, all the while with that large grin on his face. He gave Frisk's to them last.

"HERE YOU GO, HUMAN! ONE DELUXE BOWL OF SUPERB SPAGHETTI, PREPARED BY MASTER CHEF, THE GREAT PAPYRUS!" he said.

They took a small bite and instantly their taste buds rebelled. Papyrus' cooking was… interesting. Very interesting. Their face involuntarily twisted in disgust. They could see Toriel having a similar reaction out of the corner of their eye. Sans didn't seem to react to its putrid taste, just forked it into his mouth. Maybe he was used to it at this point, but it was hard to tell with Sans.

"WOWIE! SUCH PASSIONATE EXPRESSIONS! CLEARLY, THIS IS ANOTHER DELIGHTED AUDIENCE! PERFECT!" he said. Scooping a generous amount into his own bowl, he gobbled it up in what seemed like no time at all. Could he not taste it? Maybe. Or perhaps he just wanted to believe that he was a master chef. Well, they weren't going to be the ones to set him straight.

After he was done, he stood up on the table, to everyone's surprise. "WE WON'T LET SORROW DRAG US DOWN! WE ARE GREATER THAN THAT! AS I AM THE GREATEST OF ALL, I SHALL LEAD ALL OF YOU TO THE LIGHT, WHERE IT IS SAFE FOR EVERYONE! AND THEN WE WILL EAT MORE SPAGHETTI! NYEH HEH HEH!" he cackled.

"Dear, please get down from the table." Toriel cut in. But she had a small smirk on her face.

As Papyrus sat down again, rather flustered, a light laughter filled the room. It felt good, to just laugh. Frisk continued laughing until their gaze fell upon Sans. He was chuckling along with Toriel and his brother. He looked so happy in this moment. So much contrast from before. They could remember it clearly. His anger, threatening to break out from that molded smile. The endless stream of attacks. The horrific sensation of being pierced like a piece of meat, or fried by a beam of energy. And that eerie right eye, glowing bright blue and yellow. It had haunted them for a long time, both in dreams and in waking. They hoped they would never see him like that ever again; it had frightened them almost as much as Chara's insanity.

Here he was now, laughing along with the people he loved the most, unaware that things were not what they seemed. If he ever found out…

An chill passed through their body, and they resisted the urge to run as fast as they could. Instead, they focused on their pasta bowl. They gripped the sides so hard that the bowl started to shake along with their hands.

 _You are wrong, Papyrus._

 _It isn't safe for everyone._

 **I SAID I WAS GONNA DO IT, AND I DID. I AM SO PROUD OF MYSELF RIGHT NOW.**

 _ **even though i published it at 10:00 but whatever i did it**_

 **Anyways, if you want to see more, follow, favorite, or review! I really appreciate it all, especially constructive criticism, if you can offer any.**

 **(also, i know that the scene cut isn't very professional, but this stupid site won't let me do anything that looks nice. blame ffnet.)**


	3. Update

**Hey guys.**

 **I know there aren't a lot of people even reading this, but I feel like I should explain the wait to the few that are.**

 **Basically, it was procrastination. The first few chapters were short and sweet, my average of about three to four pages. I found I didn't have to put in a lot of effort to get them completed. I guess Chara is a lot more talkative than Frisk, because Chapter Three, once it is completed (without editing), will most likely be just over nine pages long. I was planning to publish today, a week behind schedule, but... I can't. To be honest, I've been down in the dumps all day, and I can't focus. Why? Well, let's just say that this Christmas hasn't been very merry.**

 **Hopefully I'll get my motivation back tomorrow. Happy holidays, to the few that are reading this. And stay determined.**


	4. Chapter 3

**Hello again!**

 **Thank you viewers for being so understanding. I was feeling really down in the dumps earlier, but I'm back now, yay! Publishing this a day early since I lost so much time. Hopefully, with DETERMINATION, I can stay on track from now on.**

 **Also, these chapters are going to get way longer than before. The first two were little introduction chapters, but now we're going through some thick plot. So be prepared.**

 **And Chara is very salty.**

 **UNDERTALE**

 **THE END**

A soft melody began to play in the background. It sounded like… a home, one from a long time ago.

 _ ***...**_

Another happy ending. The Player had decided to be merciful this run. Good for them. Now it was time to reset and slaughter everyone again, crushing their hopes and dreams like little bugs.

… Now.

No, now.

 _ ***Well, hurry up!**_ They thought. _***What's the holdup? You didn't hesitate last time. Get on with it!**_

Nothing. Just the suffocating silence of the void. They groaned internally. A part of them liked being nothing, but it got rather boring after a while. So insufferably boring, it could drive you mad.

More silence. The darkness seemed to extend onwards forever. It had no end. This was death, just quiet darkness that smelled like soil for all eternity. For however long they were dead before Frisk came, this was their afterlife. Calm, yes, but incredibly monotonous.

Though, they did notice that they were more aware than in the past. Before, it had been like their head was stuffed with cotton. They couldn't breathe or move, and they could barely think. Now, all their senses were clearly defined. They felt something cold, as well as strips of something scratchy beneath them. It smelled like cleaner and perfume trying to disguise a vile truth. They could wiggle around, but they were still stuck in one place. The clouds in their mind were gone, although they still couldn't see. And if they played along with their broken mental state long enough, they could feel the memories of their chest gently moving up and down.

Was this their reward for a True Pacifist run? Not much of one. It wasn't like they had done much anyways, just kept their bitter anger buried and pretended they were still chummy with The Player. What a foolish person. They thought they were above consequences. Ha! Laughable. How they would love to get ahold of their beloved dagger and put it to good use…. * _ **No! No no no.**_ They shivered. The reset had drained all of the L.O.V.E. from the fragments of their soul, but it was still there, in a way. Those moments when the sadistic side came out… they dreaded them. They tried to keep the ugly part of them hidden, but it was like it had a will of its own. It was a parasite, worming its way into their brain, spreading out over their thoughts, corrupting them and turning them to its will. It was only a matter of time before it took over completely.

Maybe they were better off like this after all. Buried deep in the ground, where they could never hurt anyone for the rest of eternity. It was going to be a very dull eternity, but it was worth it. As long as the world was safe from their inner demons.

Suddenly, a loud grating noise came from nearby, making them jump. What was that? Was something in the dirt with them? In their mind's eye, they imagined a giant worm wriggling through the muck. They weren't afraid of monsters (plus they were already dead), but what if the monster swallowed them up? Monsters hated humanity, after all. It wouldn't hurt, exactly, but they couldn't see it being pleasant either. They quivered internally in fear. Then, it happened again. That echoing grating sound, like stone slabs rubbing against each other, except farther away this time. Hmm. Maybe they weren't in danger of being eaten after all. They calmed down a bit, an imaginary exhale of relief escaping. There weren't many things to be afraid of anymore, but the childhood fear of demons sneaking in and chewing up their soul like a gumball hadn't faded, apparently. How embarrassing.

More noise. They strained to hear what exactly it was. It sounded like scuffling, and maybe… voices? Someone must be walking on the flowerbed they were buried under. They glared into the darkness. People had to know they were buried here! Have some respect! Perhaps they were human tourists. That would explain it. Humans were vile, piggish creatures with a tendency to tear down their own, after all.

Well, that wasn't completely true. Frisk wasn't your average human. They were just a kid, and they always did their best to show mercy. Their face was devoid of emotion, but their heart wasn't.

But more than anything, they had made the effort to connect with them. When they had first been bound together by determination, Chara didn't care who they were or what was inside their heart. They just wanted someone to take their soul and crack open the barrier, so monsterkind could be free and humankind could get what they deserved.

But Frisk was different. Though now they realized sparing everyone was the Player's actions, they doubted Frisk would have done otherwise. They might have fought until their opponent gave up or killed Flowey as revenge, but in the end, they would have chosen the True Pacifist route. And besides, they seemed to have liked them. They smiled internally at their jokes, and their soul would whisper words of kindness when they were sad.

They had been _nice_ to them.

They smiled softly at the memories, but were distracted by a voice that seemed to come from right above them. They sucked in their breath as a nasty thought bubbled to the surface. What if they were being taken out of the ground? Mo-Toriel and Asgore probably wanted them to be reburied on the surface, so they could have a proper funeral and the like. But they didn't want that. They just wanted to wallow in the dirt, alone. If they were taken out, they would see sunlight, actual sunlight. But worse, they would see Toriel and Asgore and Asr-Flowey and worst of all, Frisk. Only to be ripped from them once again to be laid down to rest. Or… what if they were being cremated?! Thrown into a raging inferno, melted, scooped into a jar, then put on display on Toriel's mantelpiece for however long she lived? Forced to watch her raise the only child she had that wasn't dead? To see their adoptive parents and sibling grow old and die? The very idea was repulsing. But the worst part was knowing that they had no power at all down here. If the royal family wanted them in a different spot, there was no avoiding their fate.

In the end, they were just a lost youth, subject to the wills of others. That was the way it had always been. Other humans had always known how to twist a child's natural trust and manipulate it into getting what they wanted. They knew how to make you tick, and how to break you. Maybe that was why they went to that mountain in the first place. To be free. * _ **That sure worked well.**_ They thought. Though they knew Toriel and Asgore truly meant no harm by wanting to move their body, they couldn't help but feel angry. _***Just leave me be. Be happy, somewhere else, far, far away. Don't let me get close again. Don't let me hurt you again.**_

 _ ***... Please don't let me kill you again.**_

Suddenly, more grating, and light! A brilliant, blinding light that completely obscured their vision. Their head pounded as they tried to shield their eyes… _***Wait a moment. I can move?**_

A pair of warm hands lifted them into a sitting position. They could faintly hear people talking, though their ears were ringing. Eventually, the shock of the light faded, and they opened their eyes.

They were in a chilly gray room. The only features were the exit and the graves. Six of them, lined up in a neat row next to… theirs?! They were sitting in their old grave. Standing around them, faces fraught with worry, were six human children. But the most shocking thing of all was that they were _breathing_. And not only that, their heart was pumping, too. They could feel it, a large drum inside their chest, beating in time with the marching band of their body. _***How… how?**_

"Hey… are you okay?" a child spoke up, startling them. This one was a short boy, with hair like honey and skin like milk. He was wearing a green, striped, long-sleeved shirt with blue overalls. His aura reminded them of a quiet stream in a clearing, or a kitchen alive with heavenly smells of delicious things cooking. He smiled warmly. "Pretty… shocking, huh?" he said.

"Perseverance here nearly had a heart attack!" cried a girl. She had a thick British accent, a toothy, cocky smile, and white-gold hair. A thick pale blue hoodie, also with stripes, and a blue skirt was her outfit.

"H-hey! Cut it out!" the boy who had to be 'Perseverance' shot back. A dark purple shirt and pants for him, with olive skin and dark hair. He waggled his finger, but in the wrong direction. He sighed. "Has anyone seen my glasses?" he grumbled.

"Not me. In fact, I haven't seen any of the things we originally had." replied another boy. The dark blue short-sleeve shirt and leggings complemented his black skin and brown eyes rather well. His blurred image had been poking around the room earlier, presumably for these items, but now he was standing by their coffin, not so far as to seem disinterested, but giving them space at the same time.

"Well, let's go find them! Then we can beat up the guy that killed us all!" yelled a girl. Almost neon orange hair, green eyes, and an orange outfit. They barely noticed all this, however, instead latching onto her twisted words. They clenched their fists and glared at her. It took a few seconds for her to realize. She raised an eyebrow. "What? You don't want to?"

They opened their mouth to lash into that little brat, but all that came out was not even a whisper, more like breathing with words in it. They clenched their throat, surprised. The original boy looked sympathetic.

"We'll get you some medicine on the surface." he said. He offered a hand, and they took it, slowly climbing out of their coffin. Their limbs ached from lack of movement, and they had to grip the side of the coffin tightly in order to stand up.

"So." a girl in the back said. She hadn't spoken up before, but now moved closer. Straw hair and tanned skin with a stereotypical cowboy outfit, the exaggerated belt buckles and all. She even had spurs on the back of her boots. It looked like she was going to a costume party. Now, she was giving Chara the one-over. After a moment, she continued. "What's your soul color?"

This time, before they could speak, the British girl put a hand over their mouth. "Don't talk. It'll make your throat even worse." she said. She then turned to the yellow one. "Red. Determination. Like the mute kid who beat up that stupid flower." she said.

"Where did you come from?" the blue boy said. It wasn't an accusatory statement, or at least it didn't sound like one. Though, they knew from experience people weren't always what they seemed. They just shrugged. It wasn't like they would tell him, even if they knew.

"Ahem, I, um, have a theory." mumbled Perseverance. He waited until everyone was paying attention, coughed, and folded his hands behind his back. He looked nervous, but a warm smile from the green child seemed to prompt him. "A-After the Prince broke the barrier, h-he returned all the souls to their bodies, i-including ours. R-Right?" he said. The others muttered words of reassurance and general agreement.

"We all saw it." said the yellow girl. "But what's your point?"

He seemed to become more confident at this point, and his stuttering became less frequent. "Well, after he returned the souls to the bodies of the monsters, I noticed some stray souls that weren't strong enough. To return to their bodies, I mean. They were the old, the sick, the weak. They were about to shatter, but then, they started speeding towards red fragments. As more souls were absorbed, the fragments formed into a soul, then vanished." he said. "At first I thought it was the determined child that we helped back then, but I believe that soul might have been the first fallen child that d-died long ago. And I believe she stands before us now." he said. He then turned to Chara. "Is that correct?"

Their heart was thudding. Was that even possible? Dead monsters coming together to revive a human? Their thoughts were so muddy, all they could get out was a hoarse whisper of "I'm a they." It was barely a whisper, but it was loud in the silence that blanketed the room.

The orange and yellow girls raised an eyebrow, but nobody else seemed to react except Perseverance, who blushed. "S-sorry about that." he mumbled, embarrassed.

"Hey, I just remembered, we haven't introduced ourselves yet!" the blue girl burst. They doubted that. More like she had been waiting to see if they were 'cool' enough to know her name. She shook their hand and smiled. "I'm Amelie, but you can call me Patience." she said. "It's like a code name." she explained when they looked confused. She then pointed to the other kids in order of color. "Bravery, Justice, Kindness, Integrity… wait, he's not here. Anyway, he's the blue one, and, well, you know Perseverance." she snickered. "And you," she jabbed them in the chest, "are Determination." she finished.

"Um… I found our stuff!" cried 'Integrity' from outside the room. Everyone bolted out of the catacombs on command, leaving them stuck leaning against their coffin. "Come on, now. We don't bite." Kindness chimed, gently taking their hand and escorting them out. Though they hated to admit it, they were grateful. Their legs still wobbled with the effort of walking.

They walked down the gray halls until they reached the throne room, a garden blooming with golden flowers. As Kindness gave them a reassuring squeeze, they realized they had been gripping his hand harder than needed. Too many memories, happy and heartbreaking, threatened to break their cool facade. They gulped. At least they could chalk it down to nervousness about meeting Asgore again.

The children were clamoring about in the meadow of golden flowers, picking through a pile. Patience put her hair in a ponytail with a cute red ribbon and opened a little play doctor's kit to put in a flimsy plastic knife. Integrity had put on a dusty tutu and was currently pulling on dirty ballet shoes. Perseverance looked happy, as he had finally found his glasses, as well as a torn notebook. Bravery pulled on a boxing glove and a bandanna with a fist on it, and Justice plopped a cowboy hat on her head. They realized that these items had been found by Frisk in different spots in the Underground. But why were they all here?

"What's this?" Justice said. They looked over to see a worn dagger in her hand. _Their_ dagger. They instantly ran over and snatched it away. Ignoring her annoyance, they turned it over in their hands. A present from Asriel, one they had never received. Its intended purpose was to replace the knife that had broken, the knife that had protected them on the surface. But this one didn't have such a comforting presence. Instead, they couldn't help but think about how much L.O.V.E they could gain right here, right now. These kids couldn't put up a fight. It would be so easy. Just a few slashes to the chest or throat and BAM! Free EXP.

At that moment, their legs gave out and they toppled to the ground, landing face-first onto the flowers. The kids cried out and lifted them up, leaning them against the far wall. Their voices echoed around them, but it was hard to hear through their own dark thoughts. The urge to destroy the knife and all it symbolized was strong, but they couldn't. A tool for murder or not, it had been from Asriel. Throwing it away would be like throwing his memory away. They had done that once. They weren't about to do it again, especially when they actually had a choice. They simply tucked it into their pocket. Out of sight, out of mind.

The worried faces of Patience, Integrity, Bravery, and Perseverance surrounded them, asking if they were alright or if they needed some water. They waved them off and tried to stand up, but fell back on their rear end. As they tried to get up again, they were forcibly pinned in a sitting position by Justice. She had acquired a gun somehow, and was holding it rather threateningly. Whether it was loaded or not, they didn't know, but they weren't exactly eager to find out, so they let Kindness give them a paper cup of water. He now had a burnt pan and an apron with a heart on it. After they were done, he put it in a nearby recycling bin for them. "Do you need anything else?" he asked. They shook their head.

"Hey, is this yours?" Bravery asked. She was holding the heart locket. They nodded, hands gripping their sweater tightly, as if that could keep remembrance away. She dropped it unceremoniously into their lap, and they cupped it in their hands. Another present from Asriel they had never been able to appreciate. But it was their fault anyway, they had poisoned themselves. They bit their lip. Half of the time, they blamed their goat brother for chickening out at the last second and costing them everything. But the other half, all they felt was guilt for tearing that family - and the Underground - apart.

Maybe they didn't deserve to wear this. Maybe they didn't deserve compassion. But they were too selfish to throw it away. It was a glossy, golden heart brimming with memories of safety and warmth and love, and they couldn't let that go. Not yet. So they slid the locket onto their neck. Its presence was far more comforting than the sharp bulge in their pocket.

"Why do you have a _knife_?" Justice asked. Her tone was neutral, but they could tell she was searching for an excuse to use that pistol. But they didn't know what to say in response. A knife wasn't exactly a normal kid's birthday present.

"Why do you have a gun?" Patience rebutted. She got on their nerves with her fake peppiness, but they were indebted to her. Justice searched around in her mind, but couldn't seem to come up with an argument. She huffed and dropped the subject by stalking away.

They mouthed 'thank you' to Patience (rather reluctantly, sure, but they did thank her at least). She winked, smiling.

"Sorry to interrupt, but where is this king guy, anyway? We have to make him pay for killing us!" Bravery shouted, cracking her knuckles. Anger flared up inside their soul again, and they sent a dirty look in her direction. She noticed immediately this time. "Hey, what's your problem? What did I do?" she asked.

"I don't think you did anything in particular, Bravery. It's just that she-" Perseverance coughed. "I, I mean they are the first fallen, which means they were the one adopted by the Dreemurrs. Right?" he asked, looking at them for confirmation. They nodded. "Yes, so it's only natural they would feel uncomfortable when you talk about killing King Asgore. N-not like that's necessarily the wrong option, i-it's just we should consider the other's opinion before w-we do anything drastic, that's all." he stammered. Blushing furiously, he ran off, not able to take the pressure of everyone staring at him.

"Uh… sorry." Bravery mumbled. "I didn't know. The monsters… never told me that story." she said. It seemed almost like she felt guilty, but that was impossible for humans. They were far off from forgiveness, but making a scene would only create a rift between them and the group. They really needed medical help at the moment, and they didn't want to be left behind. As a result, they just nodded and turned away.

"Well, I still think we should find Asgore. Maybe, if he sees Determination, he'll leave us be." Kindness piped up. They other kids mumbled words of agreement.

"But where do we find him? The Underground isn't that big, but he could be anywhere, and there are monsters all around here who want our souls." questioned Integrity. Nobody seemed to be able to think of a response.

Suddenly, Justice came back, Perseverance tagging along, shy as ever. "I think you guys should see this." she said. Strangely enough, she looked slightly more… hopeful than usual. With Kindness' help, they walked with the rest out of the throne room and through a corridor. They realized this was the path to the barrier. Was Asgore there? If so, why did Justice seem so calm?

The group turned the corner, and a collective gasp echoed throughout the room. The barrier was... _gone_.

A few seconds of shock coursed through their system before they mentally slapped themselves. Of course the barrier was gone, Asriel and Frisk had destroyed it mere hours ago! They couldn't help but feel stupid at how surprised they had been when first going around the bend.

In place of the barrier, there was a large, deep purple door, with ornate symbols carved into it. It was open slightly. Golden light poured through the crack. _Sunlight_.

The whole party was frozen for however long, just staring at the door. Without any kind of prior warning, Bravery burst forth and swung open the door, disappearing into the glow. It overwhelmed their senses and forced them to shield their eyes. It was so bright, it was unbelievable. They could hear exclamations of surprise and pain in the background, confirming that the rest were also suffering their fate.

After a while, their eyes became more used to the light, and they could remove their hands from their face, although they had to squint to see. They felt Kindness holding their hand once again and pulling them forward. They let him.

They were suddenly standing on a large cliff. On the horizon, a buzzing city and majestic castle stood tall and proud, their silhouettes standing clear against the sunset. It was a collage of wispy clouds, shadows, and the luminous ball of fire that was sinking into the skyline. The sky itself was a work of art. Pinks and oranges and yellows and blues and just a speck of green, almost like an artist had splattered their paint buckets across the sky. It was then that they remembered as bad as the surface was, there were a few small things that had kept them going, and that they had craved to see again for so long. A sunset was one of them, a gourmet meal that filled a hole inside they hadn't even known was there.

"Wow." Integrity whispered. "It's… beautiful."

"... Yeah." Patience responded softly.

It was silent among the group for a long time. None of them wanted to break this enchantment, so they just stood, watching the sunset. As the sun dipped further beyond the horizon, darkness took over, pouring across the sky and nestling itself behind any objects. Even with night coming, there was not a sound.

Finally, Integrity managed to tear his eyes away from the landscape. "I hate to interrupt, but maybe we should try and find civilization. Find a place to stay. And I know some of us have families to be getting back to." he said, smiling. But they did notice a touch of melancholy in his voice when he mentioned families.

His little speech seemed to awaken the other children from their trances. "Oh yeah, you're right!" Patience giggled. "I can't wait to see my parents! It's been so long! Oh…" she said. Her wide grin suddenly faded. "What… what if they forgot me?"

Perseverance shook his head. "N-no offense, but I don't think that's possible. You've made such an impression in the time we've been together, I-I doubt anyone c-could forget." he said shyly. He flinched a little when she turned, expecting a fierce comeback, but she just hugged him. Surprise, and then gratitude enveloped his face.

"Well, what are we doing just standing here? Let's get moving!" cried Bravery. The kids cheered and clamored down a worn path in the rock face, leaving them behind. Finally, peace and quiet. All the fake innocence was driving them stark raving mad. They settled down on the cliff and let their legs dangle over the edge. It was then that the inevitable question came to mind.

 _ ***What now?**_

What were they supposed to do with their new-found life? A ghost of a smile appeared on their pale face as they imagined living with Frisk and Toriel. They could go to school and pretend to be listening while really striking up conversation in sign language and then giggling like a six-year-old when the teacher looked confused. They could visit Da-Asgore and help him with his garden. They could train with Undyne, watch Mew Mew with Alphys, bake pies with Toriel.

They could be happy.

But that was an illusion. They could never have a life like that. And there was one reason why. Sans. Sans the skeleton, with his plastic grin and glowing eye. That comedian…

A lump formed in their throat as they remembered. Their sickly smiles mirroring each other. The blasters, the bones, the Karmic Retribution. Something red dripping on the floor as he stumbled away, dying. That sensation, the L.O.V.E. filling their soul with dust and emptiness.

He would never forget. If they ever showed their face around him, around anyone he knew, he would relentlessly hunt them down until they were a deep-fried, bloody mess skewered like a kabob. They could just imagine their parents' reaction. One of their long-lost children, magically brought back to life, only to be torn away from them by the cruel hand of fate. It would drag her down into an abyss of grief, and drive him into a blind rage. It would rip their hearts apart.

They could never be with their family. Instead, they would have to be as far away as humanly possible. For their safety as much as their own. They bit their lip. Where to go? Alaska? Brazil? The Sahara? Was there anywhere on Earth they could ever be with their true kin, the monsters, and not be in danger?

"Hey… what are you still doing up here?" a voice said. They nearly jumped out of their skin in surprise. Kindness winced at their angry expression. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you... " he coughed. "It's dangerous up here. Come on, we found a paved road nearby." he said. He gestured towards the trail, but fumbled when they didn't move.

"Do… do you not have a family up here?"

They tucked their knees to their chest. They did have a family. The problem was, they could never go near them again. But he would never understand that, so they just nodded curtly. He sat down next to them, cross-legged. "Well… you could always stay with one of us. Integrity… he doesn't have one either. Well, not one that would... take him back, y'know?" he smiled awkwardly. When they didn't react, he squirmed under the pressure until he finally sighed. "There's food and shelter and… there are people who care about you. Come with us. Please?"

They made a resentful face and shook their head. _***No thank you.**_ His face fell at their flat denial of his offer, but then some kind of realization dawned on him. "You want to stay in the Underground." he said. "I can understand that, but… everyone's probably moved out by now. Especially the royal family. You should come and look for them on the surface." he exclaimed hopefully. They just shook their head again. They were not going. He looked rather hurt, and went quiet again.

"Do… do you have unfinished business down there? Or… do you want to..." he gulped. "If that's the case, then I won't let you!" he cried, flipping from his somber mood to a far more passionate one. "There must still be something for you to live for! And if you can't find it, we'll help! I promise!" he yelled.

They stared at him with a confused expression. They had just met, why was he so concerned? And why was he being so nice in the first place? He was a human. They always had ulterior motives. Just because he was nicknamed 'Kindness' didn't mean he actually was kind.

They got to their feet. He immediately leaped up and grabbed their arm. Maybe he wanted to sell them to the black market. Or perhaps he thought the more kids his group had, the more pity they would gain. Pathetic. They tried to stalk off, but he planted his feet and wouldn't let them. A minor panic set in as they struggled to free themselves from his grip. "I won't let you! Nobody should feel like they have to end it! I can, no, all of us can show you that this life is worth living. Please?" he said. He seemed desperate. Not like they cared. He was a human, and that meant he was the scum of the earth, no matter how nice he acted.

Filled with determination, they ripped their arm from his grasp. They would have ran, but they could barely stand yet. He gazed at them with a hurt expression. "Why..? I… I just can't understand…" he mumbled.

"I don't want to." they whispered. It was an extremely quiet voice in comparison to his, but it was louder than it was before.

His jaw practically dropped. "If you don't, then why? What's left in the Underground for you?" he said.

They honestly didn't know how to answer that, so they just shrugged. Without warning, a piercing voice rang through the air. "Kindness! Hey, what's taking so long? We need to get moving before dark!" the speaker yelled. They couldn't tell which child it was.

He looked hesitant. "Go on." they said softly. He stared at them, quivering, before finally giving up and walking away down the trail. He looked back once or twice, face blanketed with regret, before disappearing.

They sighed. _***Good riddance.**_ They then turned towards the cave entrance. They didn't really want to go back in there, but it was too dangerous out here in the wilderness. Mind made up, they walked towards the gate. Their boots clacked against the jagged stone. Wait… were cracks appearing in it? Right in front of them…

Suddenly, the ground broke apart, and a golden flower popped out. One they knew very well. He stared at them with a mix of glee and apprehension. It was him.

It was _him_.

"Howdy, Chara. It's been awhile, huh?" Flowey said.


	5. Chapter 4

**Uggh I forgot to publish this last night**

 **I think I might start doing updates every other Saturday now. It's clear that my writing skills are not yet good enough to have weekly updates, and I want to make sure this story is the best I can offer. So updates will officially be every other Saturday now.**

 **Thank you to the kind people leaving reviews. I really appreciate the feedback.**

 **Anyway, be prepared for some Flowey fun!**

"... Hello." they murmured. They couldn't think of anything else to say. A sweat bead trickled down their cheek. Whatever they were expecting, it was not to run into _him_.

He stared at them for a while with that same expression, happiness tainted with fear. Why? What was he afraid of?

He the broke the silence by groaning and rolling his eyes. "I'm just going to get this over with. Chara, I... " he huffed. "I… I want to… to stay with you. Travel with you, whatever."

They were shocked, to say the least. It almost sounded like… he was feeling something. Maybe, just maybe, their little brother was in there? For the first time in what felt like millenia, a smidgen of hope entered their mind. Maybe it wasn't too late to fix their mistakes.

They couldn't keep the grin off their pale face as they sat down on their knees so they were eye-level with the plant. He seemed to be trying very hard not to smack them away.

"Look, I know what you're thinking, but you're wrong. I don't have a soul. That hasn't changed. I'm not your brother, I'm just me. Capisce?" he growled.

Their heart sunk to the floor. Of course Flowey was still himself. There was no way to get Asriel's soul back. This was why they never hoped, nor dreamed anymore. The illusions always were shattered by the cruel hand of fate.

"Then… why?" they whispered.

"It's just that… you are the only one who could ever understand."

"... Understand what?"

"What it's like to be empty inside. What it's like to watch everyone you used to love die and not care at all. What it's like to be… soulless."

It felt like they had been hit in the head by a brick. Could they never outrun their sins? Their hands clenched, and they felt sweat pouring down their face as they squeezed their eyes shut, weakly hoping they could become blind to their own evil. No… no…

 _"D-do you really hate me… t-that much?"_

 _"What kind of monster are you..? I cannot tell."_

 _S-stop making that creepy face! You've got a sick sense of humor!"_

They were abruptly brought back to reality by a stinging sensation on their cheek. They opened their eyes to see Flowey with a small vine raised up and put two and two together: he had slapped them.

"Cut it out. I'm not mad. Y'know, I've done worse." he said. A reassuring smile appeared. "We're best friends forever, Chara. We'll be soulless together!" he cheered.

They trembled. To tell or not to tell? The problem with telling was that he probably wouldn't believe them. It _was_ a pretty farfetched story. Who would ever honestly believe that there was some kind of omnipresent being pulling the strings behind this whole world?

"Do… do you hate me?" they mumbled.

"What? No! Are you braindead? I just said that I'm not mad!" he yelled.

They bit their lip. Maybe… lying was the better thing to do here. Once upon a time, he might have listened, but now? Even if he truly did care, which was impossible, he wouldn't really believe them. Not to mention it would get dark soon.

It just wasn't worth the time and effort to lie.

They put on a fake smile and nodded. "Okay." they said softly.

He looked elated. "Yay! Now what? Hmm…" he said. Out of the blue, his expression changed from his trademark happy-go-lucky expression to a more malevolent one, with black irises and a jagged mouth that looked like it belonged on a demon. "How about we go get ourselves some LOVE before we settle down for the night?" he cackled. "Those kids are right down there… Heeheehee…"

At that exact moment, Chara's stomach growled. _***What convenient timing.**_ "Actually, perhaps we could find something to eat first?" they said quickly.

Flowey scoffed in annoyance. "I forgot. Humans can't just make sugar like I can. Learn photosynthesis already!" he grumbled. "Ugh, where'd you want to go? Back down there or look around up here?" he said.

"Umm…" they said. One one hand, the Underground was full of familiar faces that might recognize them. Not to mention, Sans might still be down there. On the other, the surface was cruel and dangerous, especially away from civilization. But was it still safer than their childhood home?

Well, there were wild animals out there, and the forest as they remembered had been inhospitable. Little to no shelter and barely any safe food sources. Then again, with Flowey's help, they could scare away any predators and maybe even get some meat. They almost drooled at the thought of food, a luxury that had been unavailable for a very long time. Maybe it wasn't an intelligent idea to take their chances out in the forest, out there with bloodthirsty animals. But they were an animal too, predator and prey at the same time, and they were scared and hungry.

"The forest." they said, pointing in its general direction. Flowey nodded curtly and burrowed underground. They could faintly hear him digging through the earth in the direction they had pointed, almost like a mole. They followed, walking at a quick pace to keep up.

It was slow going. It was a steep downwards slope covered in large mossy boulders and rocks. Trees and their branches made good grips to prevent falling, but their roots and fallen branches made the journey perilous. It must have been fall bordering on winter, because multicolored leaves coated every surface, concealing hidden dangers. The limited twilight made it even harder to see. All of this combined with the cold settling into their bones, and it made it very difficult to go at much more than a crawling pace. Flowey was having problems too. It was harder for him to burrow underground when the slope was so extreme, as compared to the mostly flat terrain of the Underground. He also had to peek above the surface often to make sure they were alright. Now and again, they would hear a loud "ow!" when he rammed into a rock.

"OW! Okay, this is ridiculous." he screeched, popping out from the dirt, looking extremely ruffled. "Chara, maybe we should turn back. There's nothing out here. And my head hurts!" he whined, rubbing the top of his 'head'.

They contemplated it, brow furrowed. It was true, they were getting nowhere. But turning back either meant going back underground or murdering the Souls. They bit their lip. They were still scared and hungry, with chills running down their spine and aches and pains all over to boot. However, it seemed they didn't have another option.

"We keep going." they said harshly, picking their way down the slope. Flowey huffed in response.

"Why? Where are we going?" he chided, vines curling in irritation. "What are you looking for?"

They stopped, their hand gripping the branch of a nearby tree. What _were_ they looking for? The likelihood of finding civilization by nightfall was almost zero. They had no food and no way to keep warm. Though they had a weapon and a companion, they were both exhausted. Could they really fight their way to food and shelter?

This had been an awful idea. Chances were, Flowey would abandon them when he got bored, and then they would die again, alone. They shivered at the thought, keeping their gaze turned away from the flower. _***Old habits die hard, I suppose. I always was one for impulsive decisions…**_

"Uh, Chara? What's going on in there?" he said, lightly patting them on the head. They blinked and turned, forcing themselves to smile like nothing was wrong.

"Oh, it's nothing. Just phased out for a second." they chirped.

"Are you sure? Because you seem kind of… weird today. I understand if you don't want to act the way you did before around me, but I really don't mind." he said.

They clenched the branch hard, it creaking under the pressure. "I'm just fine. Everything's okay." they said, more to themselves than to the buttercup. They took a small step down-

The branch suddenly snapped, leaving a splintered stick in their hands. They stumbled, trying to get a grip on something. "CHARA!" Flowey shrieked, vines ripping their way out of the ground to catch them. Their foot snagged on something, and they felt themselves tipping. _***NonononononNO!**_

Landing hard on the ground, they managed to twist themselves into a horizontal position before rolling down the slope, shrieking all the way. Arms tucked around their head, the world became a whirlwind of pain, sharp sticks and stones jabbing into them from every place at once. Their foot smacked against a tree, and they grimaced. Out of the blue, they felt a upwards incline, then nothing at all. They opened their eyes slightly…

To see themselves suspended in the air over jagged rocks, stained in the crimson blood of an unlucky hiker, sharp enough to impale.

Screaming, they fell helplessly, trying and failing to avoid this fate by scrabbling for something, anything to grab. The rocks got closer at a frightening pace. They cried out for help, their voice echoing through the trees.

… But nobody came. And they were still falling, the rocks coming closer and closer.

This was it, then. This was how they'd die. Embarrassing. But maybe it was better this way. Maybe they weren't ever meant to be alive in the first place.

Maybe they should have died that day, the day they climbed Mount Ebbot in search of peace. The world might have been a better place if they just had never existed at all.

They closed their eyes and stopped struggling, accepting the fate that was always meant to be.

Without warning, a sharp pain rammed into their side, sending a loud _crack!_ through the air. They screeched as they tumbled in midair, falling and spinning round and round. The world was a blur as they fought back the urge to vomit. A hard landing on land greeted them, vibrating throughout their whole body as they screamed in pain. They finally came to rest on a flat patch, rolling slower and slower until they stopped.

It felt like when they had fallen from the stabbing pain from all over, especially their sides, was torturous. It felt like they had broken or fractured something, but it was hard to tell what, since their whole body was on fire. Peeling their arms from their head, they opened their eyes, shaking.

They were in a clearing, faint streams of twilight illuminating the area. A river flowed a few feet away, turning the nearby dirt to mud. Other than some wildflowers, there was nothing remarkable about it.

Groaning, they tried to sit up to examine their injuries, but the pain was so severe that they gave up. They lay there, grimacing in pain. Hey, at least the river made a nice view while they lay dying.

They slowly reached out despite their body's protests and grabbed ahold of a small white lily that had been blooming in the muddy ground. In the shape of a heart, and with a yellow part in the middle. It was quite pretty, actually. Its petals were damp and soft, and they rubbed it meticulously. _***Don't think about how much it hurts. Just focus on the flower. Just look at the flowers, Chara. It'll be alright. Just look at the flowers.**_

As dusk started to vanish with night taking its place, Chara's hand fell away from the lily. The pain had faded a little, not a lot but some. It entered their mind that they should try and find shelter, but where was there to go? They could barely move anyway. It seemed a lot more trouble than it was worth to leave this spot.

They realized that the trickling of the stream was starting to make them sleepy. Or perhaps they had lost too much blood. Either way, their eyelids struggled to keep open. They were so tired…

Out of the blue, a shriek came from nearby, startling them. They tried to turn, but the fire flared up again and they winced, staying in one spot. They felt warm hands touching them, and then a face appeared. A _human_ face. They glowered, and not just because of the pain.

"Oh, are you alright? You need a doctor!" she cried. It was a young woman with long, pretty brown hair. She looked like she might have the same skin tone as Frisk, but the shadows concealed her. She turned and waved someone else over, worry etched in her face.

They felt someone picking them up off the ground and hissed, a burning sensation coursing throughout their body. "Shh, it's alright." the person said. It looked like it might be the woman's brother or some other type of relative, since they had similar facial features, but it was too dark to really tell. "Can you hear me?" he said, waving a hand in front of their face.

They blinked slowly in response. The world was starting to look foggy and faded. "Okay, okay, we'll get her to a doctor! Come on!" he said, carrying them across the stream.

Unconsciousness curled around them, wanting to drag them down into the depths. They were too weak to resist. Down, down, down…

 _ ***Asriel...**_

They blacked out.

.

.

.

.

.

Loud tapping aroused them from their slumber. They groaned at the ache that was all over. Opening their eyes, they got a look around.

Everything was white. The walls, the curtains, the sheets and bed, their clothes. The only thing that wasn't a blinding shade of white was their skin. Blemished with bruises and cuts in an array of colors, it stood out plainly against the void of white. Rhythmic beeping came from a nearby machine, hooked up to their arm. They were plugged into an IV, too.

There is was again. Tap, tap, tap. It was coming from the window near their bed. Curious, they attempted to scoot over in hopes of pulling away the curtains. They squeaked as pain flared up again, keeping them in one spot. Nevermind.

"Hello?" they croaked in an effort to let whoever it was know that they were there. A muffled voice came from the other side of the glass, but they couldn't make it out.

The door opened, making them jump. It was an older man, probably in his 40s. He had thin black hair, narrow eyes, and was wearing blue-green scrubs. He smiled at them, probably to reassure a lost child. It didn't work.

"Hello there. Don't worry, you're safe." he said with a thick accent, most likely a Chinese one from what they could gather, although it was hard to guess someone's ethnicity by simply observing them. He went over to the machine and looked it over, as if checking to see if it was working properly. After completing his examination, he turned back to them. "That was quite a fall you took. You're very, very lucky. You didn't even break anything." he said cheerfully.

The tapping again. He raised an eyebrow and went over to it, whisking open the curtain. They gasped in shock.

Flowey was planted on the windowsill, a vine rapping on the glass. He looked extremely irritated. _***How did he even get up there?!**_

"Chara! _There_ you are, you IDIOT! You know how long it took me to get up here? This is a third-story window, that's how long! Now open this window and let me in, my petals are getting frostbite!" he shrieked.

"Oh my. Um…" the man said, pulling out a handheld radio. "Andrea? You might want to see this. No, nothing's wrong with the girl, just come up here." he said into the receiver.

"My pronouns are they/them." they said forcefully. He didn't notice, or perhaps he just ignored them. He was giving Flowey a strange look, as if he was trying to make sure the flower was actually there.

Footsteps, and then a middle-aged woman with blond hair, blue eyes, and a similar outfit appeared. "Now what is going on in- oh. What… what is that?" she said, walking over to the window.

"My best friend." they said. Both turned towards them, confused.

"Your best friend… is a plant. Your best friend is… an extremely agile plant." she said slowly.

"Yup."

"Hey! What am I, chopped liver?! Open this damn window!" Flowey screeched. The male nurse looked taken aback and the woman motioned towards them protectively.

"Don't swear in front of children!" she scolded. They had to stifle a mocking laugh.

"And here I thought today was going to be boring." the man chuckled. "Okay, should we tell security? I mean, it doesn't look dangerous, but… are monsters allowed in here?" he asked.

"I think so, but we should check first. In the meantime, just, er, make sure it doesn't go anywhere." she said, exiting the room.

Flowey's face twisted in anger. Apparently not having all the attention focused on him was a sore spot, because an evil smile spread and his eyes went dark. The nurse stepped back, afraid of this new version of the plant. "Fine! Ignore me! I'll just find a way in myself. Hehehe!" he cackled, small seeds appearing and floating around him, spinning in a threatening way. Friendliness Pellets. As they realized what he was about to do, they gasped and hid under the sheets.

"Wait, what are you-" the man said. With a _crash!_ the Pellets slammed into the glass, creating a large spiderweb of cracks. "That's state property, you can't- ahh!" he yelled, ducking under their hospital bed as shards of glass rained down, the glass having been completely broken through. They felt some pieces colliding with their body and winced, thankful they had the bedsheets to provide at least some protection.

Finally, the shattering noises stopped, and dark muttering replaced it. They pulled back the sheets to see Flowey crawling up the bed. He got up to eye level and sighed, going back to his regular expression of annoyance.

"Geez, Chara. You've got to be more careful!" he reproached, shaking his 'head'. They shrugged. "By the way, _I_ saved your life. Not these bozos. So, now that you're done whining about being hungry or whatever… is it time? It's not like there are many people here who could defend themselves, y'know." he laughed wickedly.

"Uhh… well, I'm still injured. I think maybe I should… stay for a few days? They said I didn't break anything, but it hurts." they hastily explained, illustrating their point by trying to sit up. Pain broke out across their chest, and they fell back onto the pillow, wincing. They shrugged again.

"Y-you do realize that you just destroyed the property of a state hospital, right?" the male nurse said, getting out from under the bed. They had to admit, they had forgotten he was there. A few cuts were on his skin, but other than that, he seemed unhurt.

"Yeah? Do you really think I care?" Flowey retorted.

"You should, because the state can sue you for this!"

"Bah! What makes you think I've got money? 'Cuz I don't. Whatever will you do now? Throw a flower in jail? Ha! Yeah, that'll work well. The prison guards won't take me seriously, and then I'll kill them all. Oh, too bad, they're all dead, and I'm free as ever! Boo hoo. Cry me a river, human trash." he snapped. Speech done, he turned back to Chara, whose eyebrows had raised to a comical height. "So, how was your day?" he chittered.

"WHAT ON EARTH HAPPENED IN HERE!?" the blond nurse screamed, two male security guards behind her, all three wearing similar expressions of shock.

"I… uh… the flower broke in! With these little seeds, it broke the window!" the man stuttered.

She openly gaped at Flowey, who looked horrified. "What a horrible accusation! I would never do such a dastardly thing! Isn't that right, best friend?" he chirped, hugging their face with a leaf.

They played along, patting his cheek. "Of course he would never, never ever! He's just a cute little flower. He wouldn't hurt a fly." they said, poking out their bottom lip and hugging him to their chest. "Please don't take him away." they sniffled.

"Well? Who broke the window?" she huffed, glaring at all of them in turn. Then, her face twisted in fury. "I know exactly who it was. It was those stupid kids throwing rocks again!" she growled. She then glared at the man. He shrunk under her fiery gaze. "You! Did you just not want your son to be accused of vandalism for the third time _this month_? Well, if you care so much, then perhaps you should use a vacation day for once and have a good talk with him, instead of blaming a freaking flower, for crying out loud!" she shrieked, stomping out, flipping her mane of hair as she went. His face crumpled.

"I'm all out of vacation days…" he mumbled, slipping out the door. Now it was just Chara, Flowey, and the security staff, who shuffled around awkwardly.

"Er, okay then… well, the plant can stay until 3, alright? In the meantime, just wait here. We'll move you to a new room in a minute." one of them said. They nodded in response, smiling. Satisfied, they both left, shutting the door behind them. Instantly, Flowey groaned and crumpled into the sheets.

"Wow, I thought they'd _never_ leave! 'I would never do such a dastardly thing!' Bah! Disgusting." he scoffed, making a spitting noise (though they doubted there was any actual spit to be spat). "How long are you going to stick around this dump!? I want to see the human world!" he complained.

"Just until I heal." they said. "It might take a while, though."

"Oh, come on!" he cried, slumping over and whining like a small child. He was bored already. Sorrow latched onto them as they remembered that he was just with them right now because he didn't have anything better to do. They would always be alone. Sour, unjustified anger at the plant rose up inside them for dragging them along like this.

"Flowey, just go. I know you don't really care about me, you're just bored. And at this point, I'm just dragging you down. Stop taunting me and go see the world. Go be happy without me. Kill the President. I don't care. Just get out." they snapped bitterly.

He looked surprised at their sudden aggressive behavior. "Hey, what's your problem? Was it something I said?"

Okay, now they felt bad. He hadn't done anything to provoke that. "No, I just…" they mumbled. "When I look at you, I still see my brother. I suppose I cannot unsee him, even after all this time. I know you have no feelings for me, but… I just miss him. It's cruel to both of us to be near each other, so you should leave. I'll be fine on my own." they amended.

"Chara… I care a little." he mumbled under his breath, as if ashamed of his own words.

They looked at him quizzically. "What?"

"When I said I couldn't feel anything at all… that's not entirely true. I can feel happy. I can feel sad. I can feel scared or angry, just not in the same way I used to. And… I do care about you, in a way. I just can't really love you back. But… Asriel loves you, so I kinda have to care about you. Mostly because I don't really have a choice. Sometimes I wish I could kill you and get rid of these pointless memories… But I can't. Sucks to be me." he scoffed. Then, his face fell. "And… I don't want to be soulless alone. I want someone else who understands, who cares about me too, despite not being able to love. Besides, what else can I do with my life, now that the barrier's gone? Wander around killing random people? I've done that for too long. I want order, strategy. But most of all, I want my best friend to be with me." he said. "Does that make any sense at all?"

They smiled softly. "Yes. Yes it does." they said. They pulled the plant close and hugged him to their chest. He didn't make any motion to show affection back, but he didn't resist either. It was then that they noticed they were crying a little, teardrops slipping down their skin. They wiped them away with their spare hand, small droplets of sadness and happiness clinging to their fingers.

They stayed like that for a while until Flowey wriggled away. "That's enough of that, thank you very much." he snapped. They just grinned in response.

Perhaps… perhaps hope wasn't unachievable after all.


End file.
